CoastLine

North Carolina state legislators have passed House Bill 527 – also known as an Act to Restore and Preserve Free Speech on the Campuses of the Constituent Institutions of the University of North Carolina -- almost exactly along partisan lines. Sponsored by North Carolina State Representative Chris Millis, a Republican from Pender County, the bill now sits on Governor Roy Cooper’s desk. On this edition of CoastLine, we explore the concept and practice of civil discourse on the campuses of

There is one thing that each of us is more familiar with than anyone else in the world, and that is our own language and the way we speak. Most of us are accustomed to using different language when talking to parents, children, spouses and partners, co-workers, friends, etc. How do we know when to switch gears? When we hear a new word, how do we know when we should incorporate it? Or do we reject it? How do all these different streams come together in a population, and what drives changes in

Listener Jeff wrote this week about several things: “Sorry to hear of your retirement. WHQR listeners will miss you (in a good way).” I imagine that by now some listeners may be saying “How can we miss you if you won’t go away?” Never fear, campers: next Friday will be my last day in the office. I hope to hear from you by then. Jeff went on to add; "1) I think WHQR should emphasize sustainer memberships (monthly donations by credit card) during all fundraising drives. All major NPR [member

Cleve Callison is probably a name you associate with WHQR fundraising -- whether it’s the signature at the bottom of a donation request letter or the voice singing Super Chicken when an hourly goal is reached during an on-air pledge drive. When you hear the name Cleve Callison you might think about HQR’s weekly segment featuring your calls and emails – Friday Feedback.

New Hanover County shows significant demographic and achievement disparities across its 42 schools. That’s according to analysis from the Inclusion Project – a report out of the University of North Carolina’s Center for Civil Rights in Chapel Hill. Between 2006 and 2010, New Hanover County’s School Board adopted a neighborhood school model that, according to that report, has exacerbated the disparities. Today, 66% of the schools in New Hanover County are racially imbalanced. The district’s four

Short term rentals: they’re those properties that are rented out by an owner to vacationers or tourists -- often for a week, a few weeks, or a few days. Vacation Rental By Owner ( VRBO) and Airbnb are two of the most popular websites for these types of rentals.

GenX is an emerging contaminant – a chemical compound that is both product and byproduct in this story.

HB2, the North Carolina legislation that mandated bathroom use according to the gender on one’s birth certificate, helped to stoke a mainstream national conversation about people who are transgender.

Citizens from in and around Wilmington packed UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium Wednesday night to get answers from a panel of experts about the GenX water crisis.

One shark expert recently described these sea creatures as the most poorly-understood mega-fauna, not just because of popular culture with the movie Jaws in its canon (never mind Shark Week ), but because the travel patterns of sharks cover great distances. On this edition of CoastLine, we, yes, de-bunk some of those pop culture myths – but more importantly, we learn about what kind of shark research is taking place in and around the waters of North Carolina. All three of our experts have been

The City of Wilmington saw a rash of urban fires in the 19 th century – making the surviving buildings that much more precious. Urban renewal in the mid-20 th century had a similar effect on some of Wilmington’s historic legacy, but heritage tourism is booming.

The North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act will be 20 years old this August . As we learned last week, that policy came to be after extended and heated debate from stakeholders on all sides of the issue. Most of those involved at the time describe it as better than nothing – but most definitely a compromise.

Many of us have heard that playing Mozart for a baby in utero can help with brain development. We’ve heard that plants do better when classical music is played vs. hard rock.

It’s the time of year when municipalities and counties are putting the finishing touches on their budgets for the next fiscal year.

Earlier this week, more than 30 people, including North Carolina NAACP President Reverend William Barber, were arrested at the State Capitol for demanding that the Republican-led legislature expand Medicaid. As lawmakers in Washington wrangle over exactly when and how to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with something else, state-level officials are scrambling to anticipate the fallout. At the same time, auto insurers in the state are seeking a nearly 14% hike in rates from the